-Messenger photo by Britt Kudla LJ Maehl of Fort Dodge puts up a shot against Des Moines East on Friday

The Fort Dodge girls kicked off 2025 with a commanding performance here Friday night, running through Des Moines East, 91-12.

LJ Maehl scored 29 in limited minutes for the Dodgers (4-3 overall), who scored their most points in a game since going for 99 on Nov. 30, 2021 in a victory over Des Moines Hoover.

In all, 12 of the 13 Fort Dodge players who hit the court scored at least one field goal each, including a career-high 11 from freshman Malay Hollins.

Meah McCaleb, Bella Lee and Linnie Pratt each added eight, Maddie Hoshaw and Janelle Derrig both scored six, and Brooklyn Pommer chipped in five.

“We knew it was going to be a game like this coming in, but I thought it was great that the girls came out right from the start and took care of business,” FDSH head coach Scott Messerly said. “Sometimes when you are matched up with an opponent who is winless, you can ease off and not really be locked in. We made sure that wasn’t going to happen.”

After scoring the first eight points of the evening, the Dodgers took command by going up 32-2 at the end of the first. Maehl, a junior, tallied 20 in the first eight minutes alone.

She ended her shortened night with seven rebounds and three steals.

Maehl is moving up the 5-on-5 school scoring charts, as she moved past the likes of Charlene Blue, Stacey Bergman, Alyssa O’Brien and Shariah Smith on Friday into 11th with 694 points. Recent graduate Aleaha Pommer is 10th with 698.

Des Moines East (0-8), which has not scored more than 26 points in a game this season, finished with just five made field goals. Nyabuk Tuoch had seven points.

The Scarlets committed 49 turnovers on Friday, and were out-rebounded, 47-17.

Fort Dodge has now won eight in a row over East.

“It was good to get this one,” Messerly said. “We’ve got a busy and important week coming up where we are going to need to be at our best to compete.”

The Dodgers return to action on Monday when they host Mason City in a makeup game beginning at 6:15 p.m. From there, they head to Ames on Tuesday and finish up the week on Friday at Sioux City West.

FORT DODGE 91, DES MOINES EAST 12

Fort Dodge — Meah McCaleb 3 2-2 8, Brooklyn Pommer 2 1-4 5, Maddisen Hoshaw 2 2-2 6, LJ Maehl 14 1-2 29, Ellie Doster 0 0-0 0, Janelle Derrig 3 0-0 6, Bella Lee 3 2-4 8, Dakota Pommer 1 2-2 4, Linnie Pratt 4 0-1 8, Emma Lloyd 1 0-0 2, Grace Nichols 1 0-0 2, Charlotte Bresser 1 0-0 2, Malay Hollins 5 1-2 11. Totals: 40 11-19 91.

Des Moines East — Da’Myra Lewis 0 0-0 0, Abby Dalton 0 0-0 0, Jaleeyah Hardy 1 0-0 2, Ma’lyah Rankins 0 0-0 0, Erin Anderson 0 0-0 0, Nyabuk Tuoch 3 0-1 7, Araceli Aguilar 1 0-0 3, Lauren Ziaty 0 0-0 0, Serenity Thompson 0 0-0 0, Abby Castle 0 0-0 0. Totals: 5 1-2 12.

Quarter scores: Fort Dodge led 32-2, 54-6, 71-12. Three-point goals: Fort Dodge 0, Des Moines East 1 (Aguilar 1). Total rebounds: Fort Dodge 47, Des Moines East 17. Turnovers: Fort Dodge 10, Des Moines East 49. Team fouls: Fort Dodge 4, Des Moines East 11.